Nystroem, Gösta

Nystroem, Gösta, Swedish composer; b. Silvberg, Oct. 13, 1890; d. Särö, near Göteborg, Aug. 9, 1966. He studied piano, harmony, and composition with his father, then piano and harmony with Lundberg and Bergenson in Stockholm. He took courses at the Cons, there (1913–14), and also studied composition with Hallén. After further training in Copenhagen and Germany, he went to Paris (1920) and studied composition and instrumentation with d’Indy and Sabaneyev and conducting with Chevillard. He subsequently wrote music criticism in Göteborg (1932–47). After following neo-Baroque practices, he developed an independent mode of composition.

Works

dramatic:De Blinda (The Blind), radio drama (1949); Ungersvennen och de sex prinsessorna (The Young Lad and the 6 Princesses), ballet (1951); Herr Arnes penningar (Sir Arne’s Hoard), opera (Swedish Radio, Nov. 26, 1959); incidental music. orch.:Rondo capriccioso for Violin and Orch. (1917; rev. 1920); 2 symphonic poems: Is havei (The Arctic Ocean; 1924) and Babels torn (The Tower of Babel; 1928); 2 concertos for Strings (1930, 1955); 6 syms.: No. 1, Sinfonia breve (1931; Göteborg, Oct. 19, 1932), No. 2, Sinfonia espressiva (1932–35; Göteborg, Feb. 18, 1937), No. 3, Sinfonia del mare, for Soprano and Orch. (1947–48; Stockholm, March 24, 1949), No. 4, Sinfonia Shakespeareana (Göteborg, Nov. 5, 1952), No. 5, Sinfonia seria (Stockholm, Oct. 9, 1963), and No. 6, Sinfonia Tramontana (1965; Stockholm, Oct. 30, 1966); Suite for Small Orch. (1950); Partita for Flute, Strings, and Harp (1953); Violin Concerto (1954); Concerto ricercante for Piano and Orch. (1959; Stockholm, May 15, 1960). chamber: 2 string quartets (1956, 1961); piano pieces. vocal:3 Havsvisioner (Visions of the Sea) for Chorus (1956); Summer Music for Soprano and Orch. (1964); solo songs.